BOWLERS in Frodsham have resumed play in the shadow of the sad debris of a 100-year-old sports pavilion which was destroyed in an arson attack.

Fire officers who investigated the blaze which ripped through the wooden pavilion at the Red Lion pub in High Street concluded it was a 'malicious ignition by persons unknown'.

'We found there was no logical cause for it to catch fire so there is reason to suspect someone started it, but our investigation has finished because there is no evidence,' said station officer Steve Tyrrell.

Pub tenant Tony Tomlinson and his wife Barbara said they were shocked by the fire which broke out in the early hours of last Saturday.

'We were woken up by what sounded like gunfire going off when the roof exploded,' said Mr Tomlinson.

'I called the fire brigade straight away but they told me they already knew about it and they were here two minutes after I put the phone down.'

Officers at the police station opposite the pavilion had spotted the blaze earlier and sounded the alert.

'We got the call about 4.50am and the blaze was already very heavy when two tenders arrived to tackle it,' said sub officer Alan Oulton.

He added: 'Our main priority was to stop the fire spreading to adjoining buildings.

'It didn't take long to bring the fire under control but the pavilion was completely destroyed and what's left will have to be demolished.'

The pavilion has been a feature in Frodsham for more than a century, but gradually fell into disuse.

It was once a popular venue for family celebrations, with many people holding wedding receptions and birthday parties there.

Joe Frodsham, 82, fondly remembers his 21st birthday bash at the pavilion and said: 'I was really sorry to hear about the fire because the pavilion has been there as long as I can remember.'

Mr Frodsham is president of the Red Lion Bowling Club, who play on the former pub bowling green which was saved by Frodsham Town Council.

The council paid #50,000 to acquire the green for the town when Real Inns, owners of the Red Lion at the time, threatened to demolish it and redevelop the site.

The deal did not include the pavilion. However, it was agreed that bowlers could use the building for tea-making and shelter from bad weather and, through a meter installed in the pavilion, players maintained a power source for floodlighting the green.

'The most important thing was the electricity, but we had heard rumours that the pub owners were planning to take the pavilion down soon anyway, so we knew we wouldn't have it for much longer,' said bowling club chairman, John Ellams.

'It was still a substantial building but it obviously needed a lot of money spent on it and I understand it wasn't insured any more.

'But what really bothers me is that mindless vandals have done this when there are so many other properties so close to it.'

Bowlers will continue to play the green at least three times a week during the current season, said Mr Ellams.

'We've got the pavilion tightly roped off so no one will ever get that near to it before it's cleared, so we're OK to continue regular play.'

However, Mr Ellams said the club had decided to cancel a senior Cheshire game, the Brunner Cup, which was due to be held tomorrow at the Red Lion green, now known as Frodsham Town Bowling Green.